Soul of Kyushu Japan

6 Best Foods in Kumamoto (Must Try)

Kumamoto is the city of wealth, fresh cuisines, delicious foods, delivering a diversity of taste in foods. All thanks to Kumamoto natural ground water resource which makes Kumamoto “Japan’s No.1 tasty ground water city”. Thus it’s a fruitful producer of delicious vegetables, Jersey milk products of Mount Aso and Amakusa seafood.

You may have experienced various Japanese dishes all across the world but I bet they had never tasted like Kumamoto’s food. Here are top 6 best dishes for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, fish-lovers and meat-lovers.

Basashi (Horse Meat):

Basashi : Raw Horse Meat (馬刺し)

Basashi is a raw horse meat. Eating horse meat may be awkward for some countries but, it is the most famous local food in Kumamoto. Many restaurants and supermarkets serve fresh and delicious raw horse meat. The local people said pay high,and get good quality taste.

How to eat-: Dipped in vinegar sauce or soy sauce mixed with ginger. If you can eat WASABI (hot and spicy taste), then try it with WASABI also!

Dangojiru (Vegetable Soup):

Dangojiru : Vegetable Soup (だんご汁)

Dangojiru is best for the vegetarians. Dango means “ball” and jiru means “soup”. The test is just yummy because of Kumamoto’s local vegetables. It is the most satisfying cuisine for veg-lovers and best options in winter season.

Japanese people love seasonal vegetables to have the greatest flavor and high nutrition. The ingredients are noodles made from flour, vegetables such as mushrooms, spring onion, carrot, reddish, burdock roots and more.

Sushi and Sashimi (Raw Fish):

Sushi and Sashmi are raw fish dishes and the most popular food in Japan. The difference between Sushi and Sashimi is that Sushi is placed on the rice and Sashimi isn’t. There are various sushi and sashimi restaurants in Japan but, Kumamoto’s Sushi/Sashimi are one of the most fresh as well as delicious sushi in Japan because of Amakuasa.

It is the most satisfying cuisine for fish-lovers and enriched with high nutrition. Grilling, boiling, deep frying are some other ways to have various tastes.

How to eat-: The best way is to eat with vinegar sauce and mustered paste. If you can eat WASABI (hot and spicy taste), then try it with WASABI also!

Yakiniku (Grilled beef):

Yakiniku : Grilled Beef (焼肉)

Yakiniku is literally a grilled beef. But every restaurant serves grilled pork and chicken too because of customer’s demands. Thanks to Mount Aso and Kumamoto that are blessed with most delicious Wagyu meet.

Wagyu includes limited brands of meat like Japanese Brown, Japanese Black, Japanese Shorthorn etc.. The unique of wagyu meat is that it has soft and juicy texture also delicious taste. It is the most satisfying cuisine for meat-lovers.

How to eat-: Dip grilled meat into vinegar sauce or soy sauce, tand enjoy. Some restaurants also serve their own flavored sauce.

Donburi (Mix of Meat & Fish):

Donburi (丼)

Donburi is a rice bowl with roasted red wagyu beef, pork, and seafood. There is a verity of donburi dishes. The best part is that, you can choose the ingredients according to your own choice. Such as rice with fish and other seafood; rice with beef; rice with pork,

How to eat-: Mix vinegar sauce, soy sauce, sesame flavored dressing, ginger then eat. Some restaurants also serve their own flavored sauce.

Kumamoto Ramen (Japanese Noodles):

Kumamoto Ramen : Noodles （ラーメン）

Ramen is Japanese noodles made by flour. The base is pork soup. The noodles used in Kumamoto ramen is thin and chewy. It has a strong and rich taste.

The ingredients are noodles made from flour, roasted pork slice, miso, garlic chips, ginger, bean sprout, spring onion, leek etc. It is the most satisfying cuisine for noodle-lovers and strong taste-lovers.

Summary:

Eating raw meat or fish are always controversial. is it safe or not? Is it tasty or not? Let me tell you that, Kumamoto is blessed with its natural ground water resource which makes Kumamoto “Japan’s No.1 tasty ground water city”. So, all the cuisines have their natural taste and very fresh.

Non-vegetarian or meat-lovers can taste Yakitori. Such as, grilled beef/pork/chicken, roasted-beef (Donburi). Fish lovers can taste sushi or sashimi either raw or boiled or either grilled or deep fried.

On the other hand, vegetarians can try Dangojiru. I would suggest you to try Basashi once. Hope it will help you to find your own choice of foods.